Data storage drives have been used to read data from and write data to removable data cartridges. These removable data storage cartridges may include a disk-shaped data storage medium having a rotatable hub provided at the center of the disk. Some data storage drives include a “soft load” mechanism, which receives a data cartridge inserted into a load port of the drive, and translates the cartridge to couple the hub in the data cartridge with a spindle mechanism in the drive. The loading mechanism typically translates the cartridge first in a lateral direction to draw the cartridge fully into the drive, and second in a downward direction to lower the cartridge onto the stationary spindle. After coupling, the spindle rotates the data storage medium past a radially positionable read/write head, which can read data from and/or write data to various locations on the data storage medium.
This drive design may be sufficient when used with a read/write head having a mass and size such that it can easily be translated within the drive in order to read data from the annular tracks on the disk media. This is particularly true with magnetic disk drives, which utilize a tiny read/write head mounted on a thin slider that can be easily positionable using a voice coil mechanism. However, some data storage technologies utilize read/write heads that are larger, more massive, or more complex, making it difficult to utilize conventional drive designs and loading mechanisms. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved design for a data storage drive loading mechanism.